C&K, we are speaking in general terms here. I know some like you, in fact my fav. gun store has a guy behind the counter
that is quite knowledgeable, but in most cases they are the opposite & I don't see that will change.
The reason I say that & again this is in general terms with some exceptions, but think about it. It take several dollars these days to have actual experience as opposed to just reading a little about guns. With today's cost of guns, ammo, optics, components, etc., you can soak up some cash quick. Just one nice rifle set up with good optics & also feeding it as a volume shooter can do could be a month's salary easy for an employee behind the counter.
In most cases the folks who can afford this have a higher paying job, business or profession.
So, in most cases I don't expect a whole lot of experience or knowledge behind the counter, but it happens sometimes.